Saturday, October 29, 2011

Labels:

Anna Kournikova Anna Kournikova (née Anya Kournikova) was born on June 7, 1981, in Moscow, Russia, to Sergei and Alla. Her father, a lecturer at the sports university in Moscow and a part-time tennis coach, and mother, did not encourage Anna to play tennis for the fame, but rather for the health benefits of the sport.

anna's early tennis days.

Anna Kournikova's talent was first discovered when she played at a weekly children's sports program at the age of 5, thanks to the racket she received from her parents for Christmas. She started to play and practice more often, in places such as Moscow's Soklniki Park and the prestigious Spartak Tennis Club, despite the fact that her family was far from wealthy.

Why is Anna Kournikova famous

Aside from single-handedly making women's tennis popular again, Anna Kournikova is one of the most searched people on the internet thanks to her amazing looks. She proves that you don't need to be a star tennis player to be one of the most highly endorsed athletes, nor do you need killer tennis skills to have a deadly internet virus named after you.

Anna Kournikova 94 Sex Appeal

Has anyone ever looked better in a tennis outfit (we are so grateful for those short white skirts)? Not likely -- Anna Kournikova is sculpted like a goddess. The tennis court was her stage, where she simultaneously (and successfully) flirted with and stunned thousands of admirers. This Russian pinup had the power of filling up arenas when she was scheduled to play. How many women can be credited with the same feat?

Men's magazines like FHM always have included her among the hottest women, and she was named Sexiest Woman in the World in FHM's 100 Sexiest Girls poll in 2002. Her sex appeal has also managed to sell calendars, and the Sports Illustrated issue with Anna Kournikova on the cover was one of the highest-selling issues the magazine has ever published. So it looks like Anna Kournikova's sexiness is unanimous: it doesn't get much hotter than her.

Anna Kournikova91 Success

Tournaments that didn't include Anna Kournikova had 30% less attendance. Her matches always sold out and it's safe to say that fans weren't crowding the courts in order to watch Anna Kournikova pummel her opponent.

Her fame has less to do with her accomplishments and more to do with her sex appeal, attitude and antics. Still, we'll give her some credit as a tennis player. Her greatest feats in the game include winning the European Championships and Italian Open juniors at age 14, and becoming the youngest tennis player to win a Fed Cup match. By the end of 1995, Anna Kournikova was crowned ITF Junior World Champion. In 1996, Anna Kournikova went pro and the tennis world would never be the same. She reached the fourth round in that year's U.S. Open and the semifinals at 1997's Wimbledon.

After staying in the top 10 singles rankings for several years and managing to defeat four consecutive top 10 players in a single tournament, she won a Grand Slam doubles title with Martina Hingis at the 1999 Australian Open.

Ever since 2003's Australian Open, Anna Kournikova has been plagued with a back injury that forced her to pull out of that year's Wimbledon tournament. Unfortunately, Anna Kournikova has suffered injuries since 2000 -- but fortunately, she has still managed to remain in the spotlight, just where we like her.

Not only is she the most photographed woman in the sports world, she's also one of the richest, thanks to several million-dollar endorsements. In 2002, it was reported that Anna Kournikova made $10 million a year. Since a contract with Adidas depended on victories and high rankings, she didn't reach her market potential, but she is raking in $3 million with the athletic wear manufacturer. And she's laughing all the way to the bank with sponsors that include Omega watches, Berlei lingerie, Lycos, and sports equipment company Yonex. Read More